Multimedia

“I use ‘disruptive’ in both its good and bad connotations. Disruptive scientific and technological progress is not to me inherently good or inherently evil. But its arc is for us to shape. Technology’s progress is furthermore in my judgment unstoppable. But it is quite incorrect that it unfolds inexorably according to its own internal logic and the laws of nature.”

Five causes of collapse appear paramount: major episodes of climate change, crises-induced mass migrations, pandemics, dramatic advances in methods of warfare and transport, and human failings in crises including societal lack of resilience and the madness, incompetence, cultic focus, or ignorance of rulers.

Liberal democracy and capitalism have been the two commanding political and economic ideas of Western history since the 19th century. Now, however, the fate of these once-galvanizing global principles is increasingly uncertain.

In her new book, Not for the Faint of Heart, Ambassador Sherman takes readers inside the world of international diplomacy and into the mind of one of our most effective negotiators―often the only woman in the room. She discusses the core values that have shaped her approach to work and leadership: authenticity, effective use of power and persistence, acceptance of change, and commitment to the team. She shows why good work in her field is so hard to do, and how we can learn to apply core skills of diplomacy to the challenges in our own lives.

Nuclear Security Matters

Analysis on Reducing the Risk of Nuclear Terrorism

Senators Nunn and Lugar on Nuclear Security in Russia

Jan. 28, 2015

By Nickolas Roth

In 1991—recognizing the global danger posed by inadequately secured Russian nuclear weapons and materials— Senators Sam Nunn (D-GA) and Richard Lugar (R-IN) led the Congressional charge in passing the Cooperative Threat Reduction Act. This seminal piece of legislation created the first major U.S. effort to work with Russia on preventing the theft of Russian nuclear weapons and materials. In a Washington Post op-ed last week, Senators Nunn and Lugar responded to the recent news that Russia had halted this cooperation.

The op-ed identifies that “the United States and Russia share a fundamental interest in nuclear security and, with it, a special responsibility to cooperate in this realm” and that “American and Russian leaders cannot allow contention on other fronts to prevent them from pursuing mutually beneficial steps on nuclear security to avoid a disaster.” The two countries did not work together in this area “as a favor to one another but as a common-sense commitment, born of mutual self-interest, to prevent catastrophic nuclear terrorism.” They argue that ending cooperation sends “a dangerous message to the international community” and is “a major setback in the global effort to secure nuclear materials.”

Senators Nunn and Lugar call for a renewed partnership between the United States and Russia that should include: accelerating repatriation and elimination of U.S. and Russian-origin highly enriched uranium from other countries; collaboration on research and development of innovative nuclear security technologies; expanding nuclear security best-practice exchanges; and utilizing the extensive U.S. and Russian technical expertise to help support nuclear security improvements in other countries with nuclear materials.

The Washington Post also published an editorial echoing many of the arguments in the op-ed. Additionally, the editorial notes that nuclear security cooperation with Russia demonstrated not only an unprecedented level of international cooperation, but also a level of domestic political cooperation on foreign policy no longer seen in the United States. Finally, the editorial makes the important point that this will likely not be the last time the international community needs to secure nuclear weapons and materials. It is entirely possible that other nations with nuclear weapons or materials could collapse. “Russia may be withdrawing, but the potential threats aren’t going away.”